Apple Watch Series 4: Both sizes, compared

Apple Watch Series 4: The smaller 40mm

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Sarah Tew/CNET

Apple Watch Series 4: The smaller 40mm

Larger display, new heart-rate sensor, new watch faces: the Apple Watch Series 4 promises a whole lot that’s new. (Seen here: the smaller 40mm version).

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Apple Watch Series 4: The smaller 40mm Apple Watch Series 4: The smaller 40mm

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Sarah Tew/CNET

Apple Watch Series 4: The smaller 40mm

Some watch faces take more advantage of the larger display area and nice curved display edges, like the iPhone X. (Kaleidoscope watch face)

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Apple Watch Series 4 compared

Both displays are bigger now, keeping case size still relatively compact. The 40mm (left) and 44mm (right), in stainless steel (gold colored steel is on the right).

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Apple Watch Series 4: Large 44mm Apple Watch Series 4: Large 44mm

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Apple Watch Series 4: Large 44mm

The Earth-view Astronomy watch face is a classic. Seen here on the 44mm gold steel version.

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Apple Watch Series 4: Large 44mm

The gold steel with gold band is…very gold.

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Apple Watch Series 4 compared

The 40mm (left); the 44mm (right).

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Apple Watch Series 4: Large 44mm

Lots of motion-active explodey-smoky watch faces have been added to WatchOS 5, and they look nice here.

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Apple Watch Series 4 compared

Comparing Mickey on last year’s 42mm Apple Watch S3 (left) and the 44mm Apple Watch S4 (right).

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Apple Watch Series 4: Large 44mm

A good look at the squared-off display and bezel on the 42mm S3 in steel (left) vs. the rounded edges of the 44mm S4 in steel’s display (right).

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Apple Watch Series 4 compared

Apple Watch S4, 40mm (left), Apple Watch S3, 42mm (center), Apple Watch S4, 44mm (right). Notice how the Liquid Metal watch face looks different.

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Apple Watch Series 4 compared

The older Apple Watches force some watch faces to be small circles, while the S4 gets to enjoy a full-screen graphic (42mm S3, left; 40mm S4, right)

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Apple Watch Series 4 compared

The new Infograph Modular watch face on the S4 (40mm, left; 44mm, right)

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Apple Watch Series 4 compared

The heart-rate sensor’s totally new, and cellular reception promises to be better due to an all-ceramic back. (S3 42mm, left; S4 40mm, right)

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Apple Watch Series 4: Large 44mm

The green LED sensor has a different glow now.

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Apple Watch Series 4 compared

Another look at the heart-rate sensor. The S4 also adds electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) for medical-grade heart-rate readings to check for possible arrhythmia, coming later this year.

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Apple Watch Series 4: Large 44mm

This is the Pride watch face on the larger Apple Watch S4.

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Apple Watch Series 4: Large 44mm

The original Modular watch face is still on Apple Watch Series 4, and it’s definitely more minimal than Infograph.

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Apple Watch Series 4: Large 44mm

Round watch faces look fuller now, thanks to the larger screen and minimal bezels.

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Apple Watch Series 4: Large 44mm

The full-motion watch faces such as Liquid Metal can go full-screen or be shown in a smaller circle with added complications. But it’s always with analog watch face hands.

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Apple Watch Series 4: Large 44mm

Taking at look at gold from the side: the Series 4 has a louder, clearer speaker.

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Apple Watch Series 4: Large 44mm

How gold is the gold? It’s more bronze-ish, and it’s growing on me — but I still wouldn’t get gold.

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Apple Watch Series 4: The smaller 40mm Apple Watch Series 4: The smaller 40mm

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Apple Watch Series 4: The smaller 40mm

The Infograph watch face is one of two unique, exclusive Series 4 offerings. There are eight (!) complications and an analog face. Busy — or beautiful?

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Apple Watch Series 4: The smaller 40mm

The red band around the digital crown indicates that this model is LTE-equipped. 

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Apple Watch Series 4: The smaller 40mm

The Siri watch face is back! It hooks into more suggestions with WatchOS 5.

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Apple Watch Series 4: The smaller 40mm

The digital crown has haptics now, meaning you can feel subtle clicks as you turn it. Not needed, but a very nice sensation.

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Apple Watch Series 4: The smaller 40mm

Coming to the Apple Watch Series 4 later this year is FDA-cleared ECG, via an embedded electrical heart-rate sensor that requires touching the crown for 30 seconds to complete the circuit. More testing on that in the future.

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Apple Watch Series 4: The smaller 40mm

All the standard Apple Watch faces are back, but many look slightly larger, optimized for the new larger displays.

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Apple Watch Series 4: The smaller 40mm

The side button is more flush with the watch’s case now, by the way. 

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Apple Watch Series 4: The smaller 40mm

New Apple Watch models work with older bands. 40mm and 38mm bands are compatible with one another; likewise for 44mm and 42mm bands.

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Apple Watch Series 4: Large 44mm

The hypnotic Breathe watch face, new to WatchOS 5, launches the Breathe app and has a pulsing charm.

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Apple Watch Series 4: Large 44mm

Wearing the watch around New York, the larger watch face is easier to read in general.

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Apple Watch Series 4: Large 44mm

The larger watch case and slightly thinner case make the watch seem thinner overall.

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Apple Watch Series 4: Large 44mm

The heart-rate monitor now can send alerts for abnormally low or high sedentary heart rate, and can detect arrhythmia.

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Apple Watch Series 4: Large 44mm

If you have a Series 3, you probably don’t need to upgrade but you may want to.

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Apple Watch Series 4: Large 44mm

The classic Chronograph watch face on the 44mm gold steel watch.

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Apple Watch Series 4: Large 44mm

Kaleidoscope’s new patterns add more color schemes and some abstract looks.

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Apple Watch Series 4: Large 44mm

Shiny.

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Apple Watch Series 4: Large 44mm

Vapor watch face is totally mysterious, very David Lynch.

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